A Promise Made, A Promise Kept
by Just A Writing Nonny
Summary: They had been watching him. Always watching, trying to find a time when he was vulnerable. They had been watching Ja'far, waiting for the right time to strike. What happens when that 'right time' comes?


**Note to all: This was inspired by something I submitted to a blog on Tumblr, Thisisthee-n-d. Inspiration belongs to them.**

 **Story belongs to me.**

 **I just wanted to say there's a big difference in this vs the idea I sent to them, as in I added a whole new ending. Well, the original idea was supposed to have the happy ending, but they liked angst so they got the bad ending.**

* * *

"C'mon Ja'far! Why do you have to go alone? At least take one of the other generals!" Sinbad asked, watching as Ja'far packed some things for the trip he was taking. It was diplomatic trip, of course. Normally, Sinbad would go himself, but he would be busy entertaining princess Kougyoku on her current visit, so he couldn't go no matter how much he wanted to.

"Now Sin, it's only for three weeks, so calm down. It would be needless for the other generals to go; they need to protect you and princess Kougyoku, along with the country. Besides, if something should happen you and I both know I can protect myself, so why put more people than necessary at risk?" Ja'far responded, finishing his packing and turning towards his king.

"That doesn't mean you have to go alone! I understand there'll be guards, but still, you can never be too cautious!" You'd think Sinbad was always composed, wouldn't you? But no, when it came to the safety of his loved ones, you'd be surprised how easily he could get riled up.

"Sin, I'll be fine. You should be the one taking caution, what with the Kou empire princess here. One wrong move could mean war." The freckled general sighed, adjusting his household vessel under his sleeves. It was almost time to leave, and if he planned to get anything done he needed to check up on those accompanying him, and make any last minute preparations.

"I'm aware of that.. Just be careful, alright?"

"I will. I promise, nothing will happen to me."

Oh how wrong he was…

* * *

It was on the return to Sindria when it happened.

A group of silent, dark figures descended upon the ship, the cover of night disguising their presence from all but one passenger, a silent massacre of spilled blood. To twin darts sped through the air, illuminated by the lightning of his household vessel, defending all those left alive on the ship, the activation little more than a whisper. He knew these people.

These people were once his comrades.

Dark flutters of rukh surrounded some people, using magic and complex spells to bind the people, before being hit by the silver darts thrown by Sindria's general. Al Tharman had struck, and Ja'far knew who the target was. It was painfully obvious, wasn't it? Sinbad wasn't there, nor were any of the other generals, so why else were they here?

They were hunting down a traitor, after all.

And even if it was fifteen years ago, who ever said that assassins forgave or forgot?

Well, they didn't. And the proof was that they were there tonight. Exhaustion was weighing Ja'far down, tired from the long trip, and the rocking of the boat mixed with his seasickness wasn't a good combination for fighting. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he moved, avoiding attack after attack, throwing his darts and killing off the intruders, his household vessel slowly draining his magoi, making his body sluggish and weak. But he wouldn't give up. He'd make it back to Sinbad, back to safety, but… His body wasn't cooperating, some kind of magic manipulating the water— _the blood_ —in his body, dragging him down to the floor of the deck, coughing up blood from low magoi, and he just… Couldn't anymore. He'd fought as hard as he could, his body physically unable to support him anymore. His vision went fuzzy, his thoughts filled with only one thing.

 _Sin… I'm sorry…_

* * *

A month had passed since that day, time passing slowly for the king of Sindria. Why was Ja'far not back yet? He knew the seas could be rough, but that wasn't anything that they couldn't handle, and wouldn't Ja'far had contacted them via the rukh's eye? And why hadn't he received word of a storm at sea? It didn't make sense. On the outside, it seemed Sinbad was calm, yet everyone knew he was worried.

And Judar's out-of-the-blue visit didn't exactly help that.

Why had the Magi visited? Well, apparently he got bored with The Organization again. "C'mon, Lord Moron! I came all the way here to tell you something and you ignore me?" Asked said magi, going over to Sinbad. This wasn't an odd occurrence, as the Magi often got bored and decided to come to the island nation, but everyone was on high alert.

"What is it, Judar? I don't have time to entertain your whims." Sinbad said, walking outside in the courtyard.

"Geeze, Sinbad. I just heard something one of the old guys said about your pet snake." As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had Sinbad's attention. Perfect.

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Ja'far?" Sinbad asked, a dark angry aura surrounding him as fury engulfed all his emotions.

"Well, they were talking about what a great little toy he was. They had gone to some village in Parthevia, and they were complaining about how they couldn't make him fall, but that was the only good thing they said." Judar chuckled slightly, floating up. "Well I did get some entertainment here, bye Lord Moron!" He said, leaving quickly, glancing back to see Sinbad djinn equipping and flying off towards Parthevia.

Towards Ja'far.

* * *

Tearing through the air, a blue light streaking across the sky, fully intent on finding the one he cared for most. Within hours he was there, Parthevia, in a village Ja'far had only told him about.

The home town of Sham Lash, the assassins guild Ja'far was born into.

Why now? Why had they gotten Ja'far NOW?! It had been years since then, but they hadn't come after him until now.

And they were hurting him.

Sinbad would never forgive them for this.

Tearing through the village he searched for Ja'far, not killing anyone who didn't attack him first. Meaning there was a large pool of blood in the village. Where was he? Where was Ja'far? Thoughts raced through Sinbad's head as he looked for him, eventually finding an underground dungeon. Down the stairs he walked, down down into the darkness.. When he reached the bottom, he saw pure darkness, the stench of blood embedded in the very air, so he knew he was close. He used his sword and Baal's lightning to illuminate the hall, seeing rows and rows of bars to cages. And as he walked, he saw empty and dark rooms, until he found one with a small pool of blood underneath it, Ja'far's household vessel hanging on the brick in between each cell, a prize. A trophy. Looking into the cage he saw a nearly limp figure in the corner, robes stained red with blood, hair stuck together with the red liquid. Freckled cheeks, paler than usual with blood-loss, white hair…

Ja'far.

Calling out to the figure, it stirred very slightly, and dark, broken, hopeless green eyes looked up at Sinbad, and he smiled slightly, one pale, shaking hand reaching out towards his king, and one small, broken and barely audible word passed through his lips before he collapsed.

 _"Sin…"_

Breaking down the cell doors, grabbing the household vessel, Sinbad ran into the cell and picked up Ja'far. His broken, hollow, damaged Ja'far… How could he have let this happen? If only he'd insisted Ja'far not go, this wouldn't have happened! He was the cause… He knew it.

He had caused Ja'far to become a traitor to his own people, after all.

There wasn't any time to dwell on that now. He needed to get Ja'far home.. Back to Sindria. Surely the healers could help him, right? Right? He hoped so… No! Don't think on the negatives. He picked up Ja'far's fragile, broken body, and quickly flew out of that dark place, the light only making Ja'far seem worse and worse. His emotions making lightning crackle in the air, he quickly flew back to Sindria, praying and praying that he'd be able to save Ja'far.

* * *

Lies…

It had to be lies…

There's no way Ja'far would die from this… Right? He was stronger than that… He'd promised that he'd follow him anywhere, no matter what. He couldn't die! No no no!

But the worst part was Judar's taunting. Oh how Judar loved taunting Sinbad.

They both knew Sinbad couldn't save Ja'far.

But why did it hurt so much knowing how the one person who could save him would take Ja'far away from him?

Damn Kouen and his healing djinn to hell.

Sinbad had a choice to make.

* * *

*Choose ending*

* * *

*Bad ending*

* * *

The deal had been made. In return for saving Ja'far, Sinbad would have Yamraiha… Change Ja'far, and Ja'far would marry Kouen. Yamraiha would change Ja'far's gender, change Ja'far's memories, and make him forget everything. Make him forget how happy he was in Sindria, make him forget his friends, make him forget about Sinbad… And about loving Sinbad. Yamraiha would make him love Kouen, and Ja'far and Kouen would live happily, ever after.

This was Sinbad's last chance to say goodbye to Ja'far before his change.

Sitting on the bed beside a sleeping figure, Sinbad held one of Ja'far's hands, cold and pale meeting warm and tan. "Hey Ja'far…" Started the king, his voice shaking as he watched his advisor's chest rise and fall. "I… I just wanted to say goodbye… I won't see you again, but I want you to know… I love you. Your my light, my little angel... My love, my most precious person. I love you with my heart, I love you with the span of the seas… I will love you under the great flow of the rukh stops… I have loved you since forever… I'm sorry… I'm so so sorry that I wasn't strong enough to protect you. Live on, keep on living… Be happy… Love… I want you to live on, love, and be happy… I know it won't be with me… I know I won't be yours anymore… I know you'll forget me…

"Please. Just… Just keep on smiling… Keep on being you… If we could live again, I'd find you… I'd love you like you should be loved… I'd do anything… Just to be with you… I'll wait for forever for you… Ja'far… I love you… Please don't hate me for this…" Tear streaming down his face, voice breaking, he collected himself and he left, not hearing the last words Ja'far would ever say to him.

 _"I could never hate you, Sin… I love you too much for that… And my mind will forget… But my heart never will. And I, too, will wait for forever for you… I promise…"_

* * *

*Good/happy/original ending*

* * *

To repay a debt, Ja'far was saved.

In repayment for the Seven Seas Alliance's help in defeating the Medium, and in repayment for taking care of Kougyoku and Hakuryuu, Kouen saved Ja'far. The dept was repaid. Nothing more, nothing less.

But it had saved his love. It had saved Ja'far. And Sinbad would never forget that.

They lay in bed with one another, Sinbad holding onto Ja'far as he waited for said person to wake up. Kouen had said it would take a while, but Sinbad hoped it was soon.

When he felt the stirring of his partner, he perked up. Thank Solomon that worked… Sinbad didn't know what he would've done if it hadn't. "Sin…?" Ja'far mumbled as he awoke, green eyes shifting up to Sinbad's face as he smiled softly. "Morning Ja'far…" Sinbad said, smiling down at his lover, "You had us all so worried Ja'far…" He added, and the general looked away, ashamed. "I'm sorry… I couldn't fight them all…"

"It's okay Ja'far… Just answer me one thing."

"What is it, Sin…?"

"Will you marry me?" That wasn't what Ja'far had expected.

"Huh…?"

"Will you marry me? Ja'far… This has opened my eyes to a lot of things. I don't ever want to lose you! I love you! If I had lost you… I might've killed myself! I can't live without you… You're the person I want to spend my life with… I know you're going to say I need an heir, but that doesn't matter to me, as long as you're here with me. Ja'far, will you marry me? Will you be my queen?"

"Sin… I-I… Yes… I love you. Yes…"

* * *

 _There is a legend to this day of a love. A love so strong that nothing could break it, not even death itself. The love of a king and his advisor, the love of two tortured souls who wanted nothing more than to live for one another, and to be with one another. Trials came and went, and they faced them with one another, always trusting. And when the day of their end came, their bodies were found peacefully with one another, rukh birds fluttering about around the two dead lovers, hands holding and peaceful smiles on their faces. They promised they'd wait for forever for one another, and in every life they'd find each other, and time and time again they were reborn, and time and time again they loved one another; Always smiling, always loving. They promised, after all._

* * *

 **AN: I hope you guys liked this! It's kinda short, but all of my writings are- Sorry-**


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